Eurocup debutant Cedevita celebrated a spot in the Last 16 with a tough 88-84 win behind a pair of brilliant individual performances on Tuesday over BC Azovmash. Dontaye Draper scored 32 points and dished 7 assists and Corsley Edwards posted 22 points and 9 rebounds to lead Cedevita to victory. Azovmash needed to win by more than 3 to overtake Cedvita in the standings and was within 2 for the game with a minute to go after a Ramel Curry basket, but 38-year-old veteran Vladimir Krstic stepped up with a clutch three to wrap up the win. Cedevita finishes secons in Group D with a 4-2 record and advances to face Unics Kazan, Hemofarm Stada and the yet-to-be-determined Group C champion in the next stage. Vedran Vukusic added 11 points and Tomislav Petrovic scored 10 for the winners. Chris Owens turned in a monster effort with 29 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals for Azovmash. Fred House added 15 points, Maksym Pustozvonov 12 and Oleksandr Skutyelnik had 10 in defeat.

The game was tight from the start. Vukusic scored first for the hosts before Owens connected from behind the arc for an early Azovmash lead. House made it 6-11 and Drago Pasalic hit a three to push the visitors to 8-14. Draper knotted the score soon with a three of his own and then dished to Edwards for a slam an a 17-16 Cedevita lead. Pustozvonov tied the score at 18-18 before Edwards took charge in the paint and pushed his team to a 24-20 lead through 10 minutes. Edwards started the second quarter with a slam, but Azovmasg stayed close and House soon knotted the score at 28-28. Owens took over and got to the line often in lifting the visitors to 30-36. Draper remained an unstoppable force both scoring and assisting. He found Vukusic for a three to tie the game once more and then put Cedevita up 40-38. Demetrius Alexander tied the score one more time and Skutyelnik’s three gave Azovmash the lead. Two Draper free throws narrowed the gap before Skutyelnik made it 42-44 at the break.

Despite baskets by Owens and House, Draper carried Cedevita within 1 and then set up Damjan Rudez for the free throws that gave the hosts the lead again. Draper and Pustozvonov swapped threes and Alexander kept Azovmash close. Pustozvonov knocked down a rare three-plus-a-foul to bring his team within 62-61. However the game started to get out of hand with unsportsmanlike fouls committed by Owens and Pasalic allowing the hosts to take a 67-61 lead. But Owens made amends soon with a 2 free throws and Pasalic cut the gap to 69-66 with one quarter left. Owens continued the fight and had Azovmash as close as 74-72. Draper gave Cedevita some breathing room with a pair of buckets before Petrovic lifted the hosts to 81-74. Skutyelnik came right back with a three, but Petrovic showed no fear. Pasalic, Owens and Curry rallied Azovmash within 85-83 with a minute to go. But a Krstic three-pointer was a knee to the gut for Azovmash, making the overall margin 8 and allowing the hosts to celebrate a spot in the next round.